Hairpin



Oct. 24, 1944;

H. J. VIGNEAULT HAIRPIN Filed April 25, 1945 a m I w flw/Py 7. V/awmmr I 4,, an M 4 1 Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIRPIN Henry J. Vigneault, Worcester, Mass.

Application April 23, 1943, Serial No. 484,143

4 Claims.

Thi invention relates to hairpins, particularly of the bobby pin type.

Objects of the invention include the provision of a hairpin of the bobby pin type which will stay in the hair where placed and cannot shake out or loosen accidentally; the provision of'a device of the class described including a seriesof traps for holding the hair in the pin and the pin-to the head, said traps being of a nature in general permitting a relatively easy progress of the hair inone direction but resisting passage of the hair in the oppositedirection; and the provision of a device of the class described including means providing a substantially tortuous path through which the hair must pass in order to leave the pin, in combination with a generally triangular trap or container for the hair at the closed end of the pin to receive the main part of the hair for holding the pin in place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reierence is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a hair fastening pin according to one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 shows another form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective showing a third form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a still further form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 4.

In the figures I have shown hair fastening pin of the bobby pin type according to my invention, it being here noted that all forms of the invention are preferably made of fiat wire similar to that used in the conventional bobby pin, but round wire could be used in most cases, and I do not limit myself exclusively to the bobby pin type or hair fastener. The Fig. 1 construction shows a pin of flat, or round wir having what is termed a lower run starting at It at the open end of the pin. Thi lower run originates as a straight wire at 12 complementary to a straight wire I4 on the upper run, the latter starting with a bent up lip 16 for easy opening of the pin for insertion into the hair. The lower run progresses from the flat portion I2 to a point [8 wherein it is curved upwardly relatively towards the upper run, the latter being more or less correspondingly curved upwardly away from the lower run a at 20 so that a narrow passage is created between the points it and 20.

The upper run extends forwardly slightly as shown at 22 and then is reversed on an incline 24, this incline progressing down approximately to a'fpoint 26 which lies substantially on a longitudinal central axis of the pin. The lower run has a portion 28 corresponding to the portion 2d and at 30 the portion 28 is reversed to extend towards the curveifi in the upper run forming therebetween 'a second trap. From this point the upperrun extends forwardly as at 32 corresponding to the contour of the run at 22 and thence downwardly at 34 correspondingly to the run at 2d; The upper run is once more reversed at 38 and then again bent rearwardly at 38 to form a closed trap within the portion 40, the closed end of the pin at 42, and a substantially straight portion 44 in the lower run, this portion M extending forwardly to connect with the curve therein at 30. I I

It will be seen that the construction as shown in'Fig. 1 provides a pin which is easily opened to be inserted in the hair, most of the hair being gathered and compressed in the trap defined by portion 40 of the upper run and 44 of the lower run, but however if some of the hair is not included within this trap then it will undoubtedly be located in the central trap defined by upper run portion 34, or in the forward trap defined by upper run portion 24 and lower run portion 28. In any case in order for the pin to be accidentally removed from the hair it must pass the three traps and must progress along a tortuous path from the closed end of the pin to the open exit and it will be seen from this that it is impossible for the pin to become accidentally loosened to fall from the head of the user. The Fig. 1 construction provides a zig-zag path which extends to both sides of an. imaginary central longitudinal axis of the pin.

The Fig. 2 construction is in many respects similar to that of Fig. 1 and as a matter of fact the upper run 46 thereof is substantially the same in conformation. However the lower run is of a somewhat different nature and comprises an inwardly directed loop 48 for each inclined portion' of the upper run so that three traps are again provided and the tortuous path is somewhat similar but the zig-zag effect is considerably modified.

Fig. 3 shows a still further simplified form of the device in which the upper run 50 is similar to those of the constructions of Figs. 1 and 2 but the lower run 52 is straight from the open depressions 64 in run 62. ternately located at the edges of run 62 and by end 54 to the closed loop 56. In this case I prefer that the lower run 52 b placed closer to the contiguous parts of the upper run and it will be seen that by this means the runs closely approach each other to form three traps for the hair as in the first two described constructions.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 disclose a modification which provides the same end 1001) trap- 58% as is shown in effect in the prior figures, but the Fig. 4 and 5 construction embodies a run 60 which is straight and narrower than the other run 62 and closely over or underlies it, being laterally confined by Depressions 64 are althis structure the hair is trapped at all points along the pin.

All the modifications of the invention provide the hair is to be gathered, said runs defining an open end and a closed end for the fastener, means forming a trap for the hair at the closed end of the fastener, said trap comprising a generally straight portion of one run, a portion of the other run diverging from the one run from the closed end of the pin towards the open end, and a bend in said other run approaching said one run thereby forming a triangular trap having its apex at the closed endof the pin, and at least one of said runs being provided with relatively deep irregularities forming a'tortuous path in combination with the other of said runs. said irregularities comprising reverse bends extending first, a generally triangular trap at the closed end of the pin for accommodating the main tress of hair to which the pin is attached; and secondly a series of traps extending from the closed end of the pin towards the open end thereof, all of which traps in each modification cooperate to form a tortuous path resisting the exit of the hair from the pin, whereby the pin may be safely anchored in the hair where placed and will not fall out, but must be manually withdrawn as by opening the pin. Each trap provides three angles each of whichmay be manually opened to enlarge the trap and providing greater resilience, and the multiple traps provide a rip-saw formation in which the elements as 22, 66, and 6B for example form back stops opposing the exit of the hair.

At 66 and 68 I have indicated loop parts which are perpendicular to the bottom, run. Any or all of these parts may be so made without departing from the scope of the invention, and in Figs. 4 and 5, the depressions may appear on either or both runs.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein'disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a pin type hair fastener comprising a pair of runs between which rearwardly towards the closed end of the fastener, thence extending forwardly to form the next adjacent irregularity. 7

2. As an article of manufacture, a pin type hair fastener comprising a pair of legs connected at one end, one leg having a portion divergent from the other at the connected end, a series of S-shaped bends in said one leg approaching the other leg to form a series of hairy traps of general triangular shape, portions ofthe S-shaped bends extendingreversely toward the connected end of the fastener. t v

3. As an article of manufacture, a pin type hair fastener comprising a pair of closely approaching legs connected at one end of the fastener to close the same, one leg diverging from the other in a direction from the closed end, a bend terminating the diverging portion of said one leg and approaching the otherleg to form a generally triangular trap, and means in at least one leg cooperating with the other leg to provide 'a tortuous path for hair passing from'the closed end to the open end of the fastener, said means comprising a series, of reverse bends extending toward the connected end of the fastener.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said means comprises wave-like formations in both legs, the

HENRY J. VIGNEAULTQ 

